The city currently bans on-street parking whenever it declares a "snow emergency," as was the case on Wednesday.

Gallo also said he favors giving the city Department of Public Works Superintendent or that person's designee the ability to declare a snow emergency as soon as the National Weather Service issues a snow advisory, rather than continue the current policy of declaring an emergency only after 3 inches of snow has accumulated.

Legislation to change the parking and snow emergency rules was endorsed by the Common Council's Laws and Rules Committee Tuesday at the behest of Public Works Superintendent Michael Schupp.

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The measure now goes to the full council, which next meets on Feb. 5.

Gallo said the alternate-side-of-the-street parking rule, if approved, will make life easier for residents who don't have driveways and still allow Public Works crews to plow roads.

"Given the lack of municipal lots (to which on-street parkers can move their cars), given the nature of our city streets, given that we have less personnel to remove snow and enforce the codes ... these recommendations ... (are) necessary to ensure for efficient snow removal and not be a future inconvenience for residents," Gallo said.

Gallo said the current no-parking rule is unfair to senior citizens and others who live long ways from municipal lots.

The proposed alternate-side parking plan, if approved by the full council, would mandate vehicles be moved to the odd-numbered side of the street once a snow emergency is declared. After 24 hours, vehicles would have to be moved to the even-numbered side of the street. If the street is not cleared of snow after that 48-hour period, the odd-even process would restart.

If a vehicle is not moved within two hours of the required time, the owner could be fined $100. (The current law also includes a two-hour grace period.)

Vehicles parked on major roads -- such as Broadway, East Strand and Wall Street -- still would have to be moved off the street under the proposed new rules.

Alderman Robert Senor, who chairs the Laws and Rules Committee, voted in favor of the legislation on Tuesday but later said he was having "second thoughts" about the alternate-side parking plan.

"I think that it would be a nightmare," said Senor, D-Ward 8.

Council Majority Leader Thomas Hoffay said he'd like to hear from resident about the proposed new rules. He said, though, that "on the face of it ... this (alternate-side parking rule) would be a better option than removing cars altogether."

Hoffay, D-Ward 2, said declaring snow emergencies earlier "would allow for more flexibility" by the Department of Public Works.